In Her Wake
by Alanna official
Summary: Philinda AU. Where Phil and Melinda are married. They are not S.H.I.E.L.D agents and Phil never died. WARNING! This is not a happy fic and very angsty. All from Phil's point of view.


She left.

She walked out the door with her bags packed and her shoulders set, without sparing him a backwards glance. His heart clenched at the sight of her retreating figure. She's just going on vacation he told himself, kept repeating it like a mantra inside his head. He shouldn't be as worried as he is, she's just taking a break, some time to herself. But still that sick feeling lingers in the pit of his stomach. It's like a premonition of sorts. Wishing she wouldn't leave wishing she would stay here in his arms.

 _To have and to hold._

A postcard arrives from her two weeks later from Tahiti. Apparently it's a magical place. Her message both brightens his day but saddens his heart. The relief of finally hearing from her a soothing balm for her absence. His heart pulls at her words on the card, details of relaxing in the sunshine on pristine beaches, but no mention of a 'thinking of you'.

He knows she sent it to keep his worries at bay, even though he's the one that hurt her. The one who brought on her need for a break from 'them'. From him. He's the one that betrayed her trust and exploited her loyalty. He is the reason she left.

 _For better or for worse._

His mistake haunts him, just like her absence.

He'd invested a large sum in a company apparently rising to the top. True, he'd never even heard of them before he had talked with that man at the bar, but it seemed like a good idea. He checked their credentials and scouted the business, everything seemed to be in order and the opportunity was perfect. Too perfect. He should have known it would be too good to be true, but the man had seemed so sincere. He prided himself on being a good businessman and a good judge of character, that was how he made his wealth after all, but to every high there is a low. He'd been conned out of his money and lost nearly a million. He hadn't told her the true amount that he had invested, just hinted at a couple of hundred thousand. They were only lucky that they had separate accounts

 _For richer, for poorer._

He doesn't deserve her. Not after the way he treated her, yet she stayed to put him back together when he fell apart. The 'situation' took its toll on both of them but he was the only one to fall to pieces. He knows that it affected her just as much as it did him, maybe more, but she doesn't let it show. She put on a brave face and was his rock throughout the entire ordeal. She was nothing but loyal, and this is how she is repaid for it. She always had his back. If only he could say the same. Now she's gone, with the fissures in the walls protecting her surely widening, and he's not there mend her broken pieces.

 _In sickness and in health._

They began as best friends in high school, and amazingly ended up a married couple. Some people don't believe in soulmates but he is not one of them.

It was the first snow of the season when they met, just two strangers enjoying the winter in the park. The dark brown strands of her hair dusted in snow, a stark contrast, as she spun in a circle with her face turned skywards. She had twirled in joy and smiled, drawing him closer. They spent the day together building snowmen, having snowball fights and going sledding. As the day gradually became darker and the sky turned to dusk, they parted ways and he promised himself that he would see her again. She wasn't just someone that he had meet in the park and had some fun with, because truth be told he had never had as great a time with anyone as he had with her. The next week sitting in class waiting for the teacher to begin was when the door had swung open revealing her, 'the new kid' in the class. Their relationship had blossomed from there, growing from friendship, gradually to romance and he couldn't imagine the world without her.

 _To love and to cherish._

It's late at night when someone knocks on the door. It's the police. His heart plummets and he fears they're here because of the investment. His brain short circuits when they take a seat in his home and look at him with sadness in their eyes. He can't comprehend what they're saying, _storm, drunk driver, accident, we're sorry,_ _ **car accident.**_

They hand him a gold band.

His world comes to a stop.

No.

It's snowing at the funeral. It seems only right that she should leave him the way they met. In the snow. Powdery white flakes dusting the coffin. Their stark contrast against the dark wood reminds him of the flakes in her hair.

 _Til death do us part._

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Sorry this was very angsty but I entered it in a school writing competition so it had a word limit of about 850 words. Hope you like it and I'm sorry that I killed Melinda. *runs and hides under table* Phil may have been a little OC but it's AU so it's alright I suppose. Feedback is welcome. P.S. I hope you guys picked up on the wedding vows running through it XD did you like it?**


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